Effects of Aluminum Sulfate on Some Maternal Variables in Pregnant Mice

The earth’s surface is abundant in aluminum compounds and there is a growing realization that excessive exposure to aluminum can produce aluminum accumulation and toxic syndromes under certain conditions [1]. Use of aluminum saucepans, aluminum-lined cooking utensils and containers may increase the content of aluminum in food. This is particularly true when acidic food stuffs are stored in aluminum utensils. Rhubarb cooked in an aluminum saucepan contained 25 mg per portion compared to 0.1 mg aluminum per portion if rhubarb is cooked in a stainless steel saucepan. Normally, the addition of aluminum to the diet from cooking utensils is minimal and has been assumed to have no toxicological significance. Daily intake of aluminum containing antacids could increase approximately 100 times the normal intake from foodstuffs. Daily doses of several grams of aluminum are not unusual in individuals using antacids. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that maternal intoxication with lead, cadmium and mercury, both in man and laboratory animals may adversely affect health of pregnant mothers and the development of conceptus [2].